Specialty Classes
September Update 2016
Inside this issue:
Bible and Worship
with Miss
Jaselyn Lee
Just like that, the first month of the school year has come
to an end! The theme for September was “All About Me” and I believe there is no better way to understand who we are and where
we came from without knowing who God is-our Creator! As we
went through the six days of creation, we learned that God made
us last. The students were asked why they think God made them
last instead of first. We had various answers, such as “because
God forgot he needed people,” “because the world was not done,”
“because God loves us.” How I like to think of it, is that God saved
the best for last. When He was creating the Earth and all the
things in it, there was nothing created in His imaged except for
man. He saved the best for last and made us specially because
He didn’t speak us into existence like the trees and animals, but
God made us with His own hands and breathed His life into us.
How special is that? It would be great if we could have some conversations about how God created man so specially and uniquely.
1
Friendship and Prob- 2
lem Solving with
Miss Lisa Henderson
Photography and
Storytelling with
Mrs. Elise Sizer
3
Spanish with Senora
Michelle Vigil
4
Art with Mrs. Kim
Helleren
5
What’s next? October
Specialty Lesson
Plans
6-10
Page 2
Specialty Classes
The first month of school is always such a busy time of getting to
know each other, learning names, and figuring out a new classroom environment. In our
first week of Friendship and Problem-Solving Class, the children talked about how they
felt on the first day of school. We realized together that, although not everyone had the
same feelings, many felt a little nervous about being in a new classroom. This led to great
discussions on how we can welcome people into our class or help others feel more comfortable in a new situation. The children took turns introducing themselves to our puppet
friends, Davy and Matilda. We practiced smiling and saying “Nice to meet you” to someone
new. Inviting another child to play is also a great way to show friendship.
Another area that is important for building friendships in the ability to self-regulate
behavior. Self-regulation skills provide a foundation for the development of socialemotional competence, helping to prepare children to be successful in school and life. To
self-regulate, children need to know how to:
Pay attention
Follow directions
Stay on task
Ask for help
Use their memory
Control their behavior
We worked on listening with our whole body (ears listening, eyes watching, voice quiet,
and body calm) not only with teachers and parents but also with each other. We will be
practicing all of these in these skills in coming weeks.
Thank you,
Lisa Henderson
Page 3
The month of September has been a month of exploration in Photography
and Storytelling. We have worked on expanding our imaginations and coming up
with stories by looking at a picture. We have tried out our digital cameras as well
as our instant cameras. The students are doing such an amazing job! Even our
youngest classes are jumping right in and taking pictures. Our biggest activity this
month was a photo scavenger hunt. Our pre-k classes looked for things that started with their letters of the month while our preschool classes looked for something
that was the color orange. Each and every class did a marvelous job! Not only did
the students get a chance to use cameras on their own, but they also learned some
fun features about cameras. We have talked about camera lenses and how they are
used, as well as viewfinders and what autofocus is all about. Each and every class
is working hard and I look forward to what we will see in October!
Page 4
Specialty Classes
Queridas Familias,
The month of September we introduced Spanish by practicing one step directions. The children really enjoyed playing the game “levantense (standup) y sientense (sit-down)” with our puppet friend named Beto. Each child had a turn to lead
the class with Beto by practicing saying levantense y sientense. This month we also
introduced new vocabulary (hola, adios, nino, nina, and maestra) and used songs,
books, and visual aids to reinforce the vocabulary. The first week we began learning and practicing our Hola song and below you will find the lyrics. Please feel free
to have your student sing this song to you for more practice at home.
“Hola Means Hello”
(to the tune of “London Bridge”)
Hola means hello-o-o
Hola means hello-o-o
Hola means hello-o-o
Hola amigos!
I am very proud of how well the students have been doing and how much they
have learned in just a few days! The students seem very excited to practice their
Spanish in class.
Gracias,
Senora Vigil
Page 5
What an amazing month we have had in the Art Center. We began our artistic experience by creating colors for our Chameleon friend. We discovered how our
three primary colors create all the colors in the rainbow. Our chameleons were full
of fun colors and students enjoyed blending the colors with their fingers.
We finished up the month learning about shape, form, tint, shade and texture. Each student experienced working with raw wood and sanding blocks. Each
child created a decorative block with a heart shape on a square form. They used
texture to create a beautiful back drop for our Bible verse. They tinted paint colors
for the base of their form. Students had the opportunity to ask questions, make decisions about which color to choose to tint, and were challenged to work hard to
complete their art piece.
As a teacher, it is exciting to see the children engage in their projects and
find joy and pride in their finished art work.
I look forward to beginning our next month’s projects and introducing our
new learning concepts.
Blessing,
Mrs. Helleren
Page 6
Bible Lesson Plan for October
Week 1
Lesson
Objectives
Large Group
Activity
The Parable of
the Sower
Matthew 13:1-9
The soil we must
have in order to
produce good fruit
Week 2
The Parable of
the Weed
God keeps the
good fruit and
throws away the
bad
Week 3
The Parable of the
Sower Bible story
and animation
Which is Weed,
Which is Wheat?
Differentiating
wheat and weed
What is Good and
what is Bad?
Let’s go over some
examples of what
fruit is produced out
of good soil and what
is produced out of
bad soil
Week 4
The Harvest is
Plentiful
So many people
still do not know
Jesus!
Small Group
Activity
Plant Observation
Plant Mustard Seeds in
good soil and
bad soil.
Watch and
see which one
grows nice
and healthy!
What is good soil?
“Gather the
weeds first and
bind them in bundles..”
Why does God
throw away the
weed?
Matthew 13: 16-23
“…But blessed are
your eyes because
they see and
blessed are your
ears because they
hear…”
Let’s Share God’s
Love
Whom can we share
about God’s love
with? List or draw a
picture of them!
Dear Parents:
September went by in a blink of an eye! October is all about the Harvest!
Jesus tells us that the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. We as
teachers are workers that are planting seeds during this season of harvest.
Our students who have pure and rich soil is where the seeds are being
planted. Through this month’s bible study, we will be learning that as the
seeds grow they will produce good fruit. We will also learn that not all fruit
is good. They will start to identify and differentiate what is from God and
what is not. The main objective is for our friends to learn that they are
now the workers in this time of harvest as they go out and tell the world
(friends and family) about who God is! We will be planting our own seeds to
show much love, care, and time is needed for good fruit - reflecting our
relationship with God. We need to pray, read our Bible, worship and spend
time with God!
Happy Harvest!
Blessings, Miss Lee
Matthew 13:8
“Other seeds fell
on good soil..”
Matthew 13:30b
Kindness
Joy
Appreciation
Celebrating
God’s bountiful
love with music
and worship!
Review
Questions
What makes our
hearts good soil?
Jealousy
Anger
Being mean
Tell The World
New Vocabulary
What kind of fruit
do you want to
produce?
Mark 16:15
“Go into all the How can we share
about God?
world and proWith whom will
claim the gospel
you share the
to the whole creGood News
ation”
Ways To Extend Learning At Home:
The concept of agricultural harvest
is easy to understand with pictures and
the actual physical fruit or vegetable
that comes out in the end, but since
our main focus is to learn about how to
plant seeds in the hearts of people, it
would be great to keep reminding our
friends that when we talk about Jesus
to others, we are planting seeds just like
in a field. When those people start to
learn about Jesus and grow to love Him,
it is the same fruit as seeing a beautiful
pumpkin from the garden that was taken care of!
Page 7
Specialty Classes
Friendship and Problem Solving Lesson Plan for
October
Lesson
Objectives
Large Group
Activity
Small Group
Activity
New Vocabulary
Review
Questions
Focusing attention using the
whole body
Surprise Box
Story: Alex Listens Closely to
His Teacher
Song:
How to Learn
Game: Watch and
repeat
Attention
Focus
How do we use
our eyes, ears, and
brain to pay attention?
Using self-talk to
help focus and
pay attention
Puppet Play:
Davy and Matilda
forget to clean
up
Story:
Olivia and Tony
stay focused
Game:
Which Way?
Self-Talk
Strategy
How did Olivia
stay focused during clean up time?
Directions
Repeat
How did Danny
remember what to
do?
Need
Want
Respectful
Please
Thank You
What kind of
voice should Gloria use when asking for help?
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Follow directions
Story:
and listen while
Danny
repeats the
doing activities.
teacher’s directions
Repeating direcfor the project
tions to help remember.
Week 4
Ask politely for
needs and wants.
Use a strong and
respectful voice.
Puppet Play: Matilda needs a
green marker
Story Card:
Gloria asks for
help with her
coat
Game:
“Directions for
Moving”
Song:
“How to Learn”
Game:
Please Pass
Dear Parents:
During the month of October, we will continue our first unit on
skills for learning. Practice that children get in self-regulation will not
only help with school achievement, but are also essential in getting
along with others and developing positive relationships.
We will continue to talk about listening skills and will add on practice with paying attention to others, using self-talk to remind ourselves
what we need to do, and asking politely when there is something that
we want or need from another person.
Blessings,
Lisa Henderson
Ways To Extend Learning At Home:
Books for further exploration:
Why Should I Listen?
Claire Llewellyn
Howard B. Wigglebottom Blends in Like Chameleons
Howard Binkow
It’s Time to Start Using Your Words
Lawrence E. Shapiro
I Need a Little Help
Kathy Schultz
My Truck is Stuck
Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk
Page 8
Photography and Storytelling Lesson
Plan for October
Lesson
Objectives
Large Group
Activity
Project of the
Day
New Vocabulary
Review
Questions
Create your own
camera
Aperture: the size
of the opening in
the lens
What did you
learn about cameras today? What
is aperture?
Week 1
When were cameras made? What did
Exploring the histhey look like? Who
tory of the camera
invented the camera?
Week 2
How do we use a
camera? How do
we hold a camera?
What do my pictures look like?
Create the Story:
What is the story
behind this picture?
Pictures of our
classroom and
friends
Week 3
What is point and
shoot?
Snap and Walk
Nature Pictures
Week 4
How can we create a story with
pictures?
Preschool: Set up
for Goldilocks
Pre-K:
Storyboard for
Goldilocks
Photobook of Goldilocks and the
Three Bears
Dear Parents:
This week we are beginning our hands-on experience with the
cameras! I look forward to seeing the experimentation as well
as each child’s point of view with their photography. Although
these images may be blurry it is a new skill that each child is
learning to acquire. Please continue to encourage them at
home to do things that may challenge them and require for
them to actively seek new information and ask questions. Every
opportunity and challenge is a growing experience!
-Mrs. Sizer
Face recognition: a
device on the camera that recognizes
a person’s face for
optimal focus
Did you use a
camera today?
How did you take
a picture?
Point and Shoot: a
type of camera that
can take a picture
without the operator focusing the
camera
What was one of
your favorite
things outside in
nature?
Memory card: a
tiny, flat, solid device that holds a
digital image
What is a memory
card?
Ways To Extend Learning At Home:
-Challenge them with a new
task each day to help with
their independence
-Share family photos with one
another
Page 9
Specialty Classes
Spanish Lesson Plan for October
Week 1
Week 2
Lesson
Objectives
Large Group
Activity
Review “Buenos
Dias” and introduce “Como Estan” “Muy Bien”
and “Gracias”
Puppet demonstration and having students’
practice by greeting puppet
Review Buenos
Dias and Levantanse/Sientanse
Introduce
“quien,” “soy,”
and “eres.”
Go around the
room and asking
“Quien es el/ella”
Visual Aids to
reinforce vocabulary
Week 3
Reinforce comprehension of all
vocabulary
Game: Nino o
learned
Nina? “Quien eres
tu?”
Week 4
To have the students demonstrate comprehension of “el”
“ella” “la maestro”
and plurals
Visual Aids to
reinforce vocabulary
Puppet demonstration
New Vocabulary
English
Translation
Book: “Un dia de
lluvia”
Como estan
Muy bien, gracias
Como estan=How are you
Muy bien=very
well
Gracias=thank
you
Song: “Cucu Cucu”
Quien
Soy
Eres
Quien=who
Soy=I am
Eres=You are
Vocabulary review
Quien
Soy
Eres
Quien=who
Soy=I am
Eres=You are
Ask your child to
sing the hola
song.
El
Ella
Que
El=him
Ella=her
Que=what
Reading/Songs
Book: Bizcocho”
“Quien es…Es
nina o es nino?”
Quiridas Familias:
The month of October, we will be working on reinforcing comprehension of vocabulary from previous and current lessons. We will be focusing
on the following
Vocabulary:
Como estan
Muy Bien
Gracias
Quien
Soy
Eres
El/Ella
Ways To Extend Learning At Home:
Encourage students to practice vocabulary by cutting a picture of boy (nino) and
girl (nina) from a magazine or any picture
and make flashcard.
Parent: Say “como estan?”
Student: responds “muy bien gracias” “asi
asi” “muy mal”
Page 10
Specialty Classes
Art Lesson Plan for October
Lesson
Objectives
Week 1
Review Texture
Learn
Geometric Shapes
&
Organic Shapes
Week 2
Concepts
and
Large Group
Activity
Small Group
Activity
New Vocabulary
Game :
What shape is this?
Is it Geometric or
Organic?
Organic Shape
Geometric Shape
What are some
differences between Geometric
shape and Organic
Shape?
Shade
Value
Monochromatic
How does Shade
and Value enhance
our Art work?
Contrast
Poor contrast
Strong contrast
Good contrast
What is Contrast?
How does it make a
difference in a
picture?
Begin our fall Art
Foil Leaf Print
Shade and Value
demonstration
Embossed leaf
shading
Special effects of
foil rubbing
Review
Questions
Still life painting
Week 3
The Background
makes a difference
Create background
for Blessings
Frame
Choose a contrasting color
Week 4
Fall Harvest Week
Fall Harvest Celebrations
Pumpkin play/ fall decorations
“The Pumpkin Parable”
By Liz Curtis Higgs
Dear Parents:
Fall is always a wonderful time to craft and create. It is fun to
see the changing colors in the world around us. This month, we
are learning many new Art concepts by creating some amazing
projects with our new knowledge.
Blessings,
Mrs. Helleren
Ways To Extend Learning At Home:
*Experiment with water colors or paints.
* Create picture with multiple colors
*Try to make the same picture with different color backgrounds.